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Why These Three Letters Are on Billions of Zippers

This 92-year-old Japanese zipper manufacturer has become the industry standard.

  • Higher Education
  • Blog
  • Video
  • Understanding Business
  • Chapter 1 Taking Risks & Making Profits
  • Chapter 2 Economics
  • Chapter 3 Globalization
  • Chapter 9 Production & Operations Management
  • Chapter 14 Product & Price
  • Chapter 15 Distribution
  • Manufacturing & Packaging
  • Operations Management
  • Product Development
  • Product Distribution
  • Supply Chains
  • Supply & Demand

Take a look at some of your clothes and there’s a good chance that the letters “YKK” will be emblazoned on a zipper. This 92-year-old manufacturer is synonymous with quality in the apparel world, providing zippers to major clothing brands as well as equipment used by the U.S. military. This video examines how YKK’s vertically integrated business model and globe-spanning presence have contributed to its long term success.

Questions: 

  1. Why does YKK maintain manufacturing facilities located around the world? 

  2. How does vertical integration contribute to YKK’s success?